Q&A Hero

Q: At one moment in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), a cut causes an abrupt transition between a shot of a bone thrown in the air by a primitive prehuman and a shot of a spaceship. This cut is shocking and unusual because a. it signals a shift between radically different genres. b. it implies an immense period of elapsed time. c. it implies a barely perceptible period of elapsed time. d. the shots possess no connection whatsoever. e. the bone turns suddenly into a spaceship.

Q: Which of the following describes the way continuity and discontinuity can be employed in the movies? a. When continuity editing is used in a movie, discontinuity can never also be used. b. When continuity editing is used in a movie, discontinuity can only be used in dream sequences and for other such fantastical moments. c. When continuity editing is used in a movie, discontinuity must also be used. d. Continuity and discontinuity editing can only be used together in avant-garde films. e. Continuity and discontinuity editing are tendencies along a continuum that can be used whenever the narrative of the film calls for either of them.

Q: What is screen direction? a. a screen appearing to move in a theater based on optical illusion b. camera movement in relation to the static position of a film screen c. filmmakers directing movies to fit movie theater screens d. the way direction takes precedence over all other aspects of movie production e. direction of a figures or objects movement on the screen

Q: What are the fundamental building blocks of continuity editing? a. graphic matches and superimpositions b. master shots and the 180-degree system c. jump cuts and violations of the 30-degree rule d. flash-forwards and freeze-frames e. vari-speed motion

Q: How does the 180-degree system influence screen direction? a. It prevents screen direction from being coherent to the viewer. b. It makes screen direction haphazard across and between cuts. c. It ensures consistent screen direction when shots are edited together. d. It disrupts screen direction and substitutes for its discontinuity. e. It isolates screen direction and foregrounds it for the viewer.

Q: Which of the following demonstrates a violation of the 180-degree system? a. In a scene of dialogue in which character A and character B stand still and face each other, the camera records shots of both characters solely from one side of an imaginary line between them. b. In a scene of dialogue in which character A and character B move around a room together while talking, the camera records shots of both characters solely from one side of an imaginary line, even as that line changes with their movements. c. In an action scene featuring one car chasing another, two separate shots capture first car A and then car B from different sides of an imaginary line between them. d. In an action scene featuring one car chasing another, two separate shots capture first car A and then car B from the same side of an imaginary line between them. e. No imaginary line is drawn between two characters in a gun battle sequence.

Q: What is the axis of action? a. an imaginary horizontal line between the main characters being photographed that determines where the camera should be placed to preserve screen direction b. an imaginary vertical line between the main characters being photographed that determines where the camera should be placed to preserve screen direction c. an imaginary horizontal line that divides the top and bottom of a movie screen d. an imaginary vertical line that divides the right and left side of a movie screen e. a real line placed by the director in the scene to demarcate where actors should stand and move

Q: Where must the camera be placed in relation to the axis of action? a. on both sides of the axis of action in alternating sequence b. on both sides of the axis of action in random sequence c. on both sides of the axis of action depending on the directors fancy d. on one side and one side only of the axis of action e. on one side of the axis of action but also on the opposite side if the need for further coverage calls for such a switch

Q: What is the purpose of keeping the camera on one and only one side of the axis of action? a. The resulting shots disorient the viewer as to what is happening in the scene. b. The resulting shots orient the viewer as to what is happening in the scene. c. The resulting shots alienate the viewer in regard to what is happening in the scene. d. The resulting shots allow the viewer to question what is happening in the scene. e. The resulting shots position the viewer as an intruder in regard to what is happening in the scene.

Q: The effect of an ellipsis is determined by a. how much story time is implied between shots. b. the number of overall shots in film. c. the films genre and style. d. how many storylines the film contains. e. the type of lighting in the second shot of the elliptical sequence.

Q: What is a montage sequence? a. the creation of a sense or meaning not proper to the images themselves but derived exclusively from their juxtaposition b. The various forms of editing that expressed ideas developed by Eisenstein, Kuleshov, Pudovkin, and other Soviet filmmakers of the 1920s c. a string of shots, often with superimpositions and optical effects, which shows a condensed series of events d. nonelliptical editing e. continuity editing

Q: How are freeze-frames created by an editor? a. by holding the camera still on a subject b. by making the subject stay perfectly still in front of the camera c. by repeating the same frame for whatever length of time is required for the desired effect d. by stopping the projector on a single image of the movie e. by placing the film in cold-temperature storage

Q: What grammatical tool can be compared to the function of a freeze-frame? a. a comma d. an exclamation point b. a semicolon e. a question mark c. a period

Q: What is it that signals to the editor how long to make each shot and with what rhythm to combine them? a. the depth of the movies characters b. the type of music used on the movies sound track c. the average number of takes the director recorded for each shot d. the internal requirements of the movies narrative e. the amount of overall footage shot for the movie

Q: How does an editor control the rhythm of a film? a. by timing sound track music correctly to edited shots b. by making sure edited shots match each other in terms of continuity c. by following each shot with a counter-shot that reverses the field of the previous one d. by forcing shots to be part of the same montage sequence even if they dont make logical sense when placed together e. by varying the duration of the shots in relation to one another and thus controlling their speed and accents

Q: Which is a quality that discontinuity editing seeks to achieve? a. logic d. sequential flow b. invisibility e. temporal and spatial orientation c. contrast

Q: What is one of the goals of continuity editing? a. to remind audiences they are watching a manufactured illusion b. to keep viewers oriented in space and time c. to ensure a dynamic flow between shots d. to maintain little connection between adjacent shots and scenes e. to call attention to itself as an element of cinematic form

Q: Montage editing that uses juxtaposition to impart meaning in a way that we usually cannot help but notice is known as a. parallel editing. d. continuity editing. b. associative editing. e. point-of-view editing. c. elliptical editing.

Q: The climactic scene of Francis Ford Coppolas Apocalypse Now (1979) in which juxtaposed shots of Willard slashing Kurtz with shots of the tribespeople slaughtering a passive water buffalo is an example of what two forms of editing? a. associative and elliptical d. parallel and continuity b. continuity and elliptical e. parallel and associative c. associative and continuity

Q: How does a film editor typically fulfill his or her responsibilities for the spatial relationships between shots? a. by disregarding how audiences understand the space inhabited by the characters on-screen b. by placing shots together so that the sense of the overall space suggested on-screen shifts and expands c. by using only close-up shots d. by using only establishing shots e. by adhering to violations of the 180-degree rule

Q: Why is there no need for filmmakers to film in a real space whose dimensions correspond to the ones implied by editing? a. because audiences will never believe in the plausibility of an on-screen space b. because production equipment cannot fit into or navigate a real space c. because directors are not trained to work within a real space d. because editing establishes relationships between shots that can fool audiences into accepting the believability of spaces actually shot in fractions of implied space e. because editing establishes relationships between shots that can fool audiences into accepting the believability of spaces actually shot in complete and vast space

Q: Which of the following is an element that the film editor does NOT manipulate? a. mise-en-scne b. spatial relationships between shots c. spatial relationships between characters, objects, and their surroundings d. temporal relationships between shots e. the overall rhythm of the film

Q: Which of the following constitutes a cinematic ellipsis? a. a character remembering the murder of his father b. a series of shots between a character and the movie he is watching c. a cut between a shot of a woman contemplating diving off the high-dive board and a shot of her emerging from the water d. a sequence of shots showing several characters simultaneously but separately going about their day e. a cut from one character speaking to another character responding to the first

Q: Why has the typical film editors job become more involved in the last fifty years? a. because film editing equipment has become more confusing and less effective b. because audiences have become more discerning about discovering editing mistakes c. because producers now interfere to a far greater extent in the editing process d. because the art of editing is now rarely taught in film schools e. because todays movies run longer and contain more individual shots

Q: After the action is photographed multiple times with a variety of different shot types and angles, the editor constructs the scene using the particular viewpoint that is best suited for each dramatic moment, which is a practice known as a. classical cutting. d. associative editing. b. intercutting. e. montage. c. parallel editing.

Q: Why does the master scene technique employ various camera angles? a. They cover over any mistakes made in the editing process. b. They cover over any mistakes made by actors in the shooting process. c. They provide coverage to the director by avoiding the need to reshoot. d. They provide coverage to the editor by making repetition of shots unnecessary. e. They provide coverage to the audience by preventing it from having to discern shots in relation to one another.

Q: Which of the following is an example of a shot/reverse shot editing sequence? a. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of the object that character is looking at b. a shot of a character and then a shot of the same character from an angle 30 degrees or more removed from the first shot c. a shot of a character moving through space and then another shot of the same character moving through space; both shots match so that the movement appears fluid and the cut is not conspicuous d. an establishing shot of a location and then a closer shot of a character in that location e. a shot of a character and then a shot of another character who is facing the first

Q: When used in continuity editing, shots in a shot/reverse shot sequence are often framed in what way? a. in extreme close-up d. over the characters shoulders b. as establishing shots e. indiscriminately c. in handheld style

Q: How does shot/reverse shot fool viewers in order to achieve continuity? a. by linking together shots on-screen that could have been recorded at completely different moments b. by suggesting narrative events that cannot have possibly occurred c. by giving more screen time to characters who dont play major roles in the film d. by making it appear as if two characters are talking together when they are not e. by placing shots in an order that is chronologically out of order

Q: What is parallel editing? a. the cutting together of two or more lines of action that occur simultaneously at different locations b. the cutting together of two or more shots of the same character as he or she moves across space c. the cutting together of two or more shots that link eyelines d. the cutting together of two or more shots that signals a long passage of time e. the cutting together of two or more shots that have nothing explicitly to do with one another

Q: In order to provide the editor more freedom to select the best possible viewpoint for each dramatic moment, the best directors and cinematographers capture multiple angles and shot types covering the same action, which are known as a. split screen. d. coverage. b. fragmentation. e. crosscutting. c. intercutting.

Q: How does a split screen differ from parallel editing? a. by only portraying telephone conversations b. by dividing the viewers attention c. by telling multiple stories within the same frame d. by only telling two stories at a time as opposed to an unlimited number of stories e. It is no different.

Q: What was the central discovery of Lev Kuleshov? a. that editing simply consists of joining shots together b. that editing is more important than lighting, acting, and mise-en-scne c. that editing has no effect on the viewers understanding of narrative d. that two shots must have an actual relationship to one another to affect the viewer e. that two shots need not have any actual relationship to one another to affect the viewer

Q: What is a common ratio of unused to used footage in Hollywood productions? a. 100 to 1 d. 10 to 1 b. 50 to 1 e. 1 to 1 c. 20 to 1

Q: Which action extravaganza had the astronomical shooting ratio of 240:1 for its 120-minute running time? a. Justice League (2017) b. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) c. Thor: Ragnarok (2017) d. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) e. Mission: ImpossibleRogue Nation (2015)

Q: Documentary films often have ________ shooting ratios than commercial narrative films since their stories are largely discovered during postproduction. a. lower d. smoother b. higher e. rawer c. the same

Q: A video produced by sequencing storyboard images and adding sound to help editors envision how planned shots will work in the edit is known as a a. workflow. d. picture lock. b. animatic. e. cartoon edit. c. framework.

Q: Which of the following describes the usual creative role of the film editor? a. the dominant creative power of the production b. the creative power on equal footing with the director of the production c. a mere technician with no creative power d. a creative force that changes the entire shape of the film e. the creative power who puts his or her talents in the service of the directors vision

Q: How do some film editors work during and before, and not just after, the shooting of movies? a. by putting together all the elements completed in the course of shooting b. by making suggestions to the director and cinematographer concerning composition, lighting, and so on c. by conferring with the producers about a movies casting d. by refusing to work on any film material until the director has a clear plan for what he or she is doing e. by consulting with other editors about how to properly engage with the movie

Q: In Lars von Triers Dogville (2003), actor Paul Bettany frequently a. employs outlandish costumes. b. behaves in a very self-conscious and comic manner. c. stares off camera with no expression. d. breaks the fourth wall. e. exaggerates his emotions.

Q: Which of the following is considered to be a component of improvisational acting? a. actors ability to stop performing if they stumble on their lines b. an isolation between actors and directors c. preprogrammed performance d. strict adherence to the screenplay e. sense of discovery, which comes from the unexpected

Q: Without ________, Travis Bickle would not say, You talking to me? in Martin Scorseses Taxi Driver (1976). a. screenwriter Paul Schrader b. improvisation by Robert De Niro c. Martin Scorseses suggestion d. the production designers idea to use a mirror in the scene e. the cinematographers lens choice

Q: How did director Werner Herzog create what he called an atmosphere of hallucination, prophecy, visionary and collective madness on the set of Heart of Glass (1976)? a. His contempt for actors was so great that the cast threatened to quit almost every day. b. He hypnotized the entire cast each day. c. He articulated each actors unconscious needs to the entire crew. d. His insistence on thousands of takes drove his actors insane. e. He directed on location of a circus.

Q: What is the impact of Orson Welless decision to use a long take in the inciting moment of Citizen Kane (1941)? a. It expedites the shooting of the scene since mistakes are easily remedied. b. It shortens the length of the scene. c. It encourages ensemble acting that calls attention to acting, not editing between shots. d. It makes it easier for the actors to rehearse the blocking of the scene. e. It defuses the tension of the scene since the actors quickly leave the frame.

Q: Why is ensemble acting, which emphasizes the collaborative interaction of a group of actors, and not the work of an individual actor used less in the movies? a. It requires the provision of rehearsal time that is usually denied to screen actors. b. Film directors generally prefer individual acting moments over ensemble ones. c. Actors generally do not want to share the screen with other actors. d. Ensemble acting can reduce the emotional impact of a specific plot situation. e. Ensemble acting does not lead to verisimilitude on the screen.

Q: Carl Theodor Dreyers The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) illustrates the power of a. improvisation. d. the close-up. b. composition. e. ensemble acting. c. a long take.

Q: What is a film actors most basic skill? a. understanding how to reveal him- or herself to the camera during a close-up b. developing a rapport with the audience c. collaborating with the actors on the set d. communicating with the director e. translating the screenwriters vision of the character

Q: How do actors best reveal themselves to the camera during a close-up? a. They step back from the camera. b. They pay attention to how their entire bodies contribute to the shot. c. They focus on the power of even the slightest facial gesture. d. They gesticulate wildly. e. They project their voices.

Q: What is the basic building block of film editing? a. the sequence d. the Kuleshov effect b. the scene e. montage c. the shot

Q: Why are stand-ins used when shooting a film? a. to double for stars in scenes that require special skills b. to substitute for stars during the more tedious aspects of the shoot c. to help move the plot forward d. to bring a recognizable personality to the set e. to feature a well-known actor briefly

Q: Acting roles with little or no dialogue, reserved for highly recognizable actors or personalities, are known as a. bit players. d. walk-ons. b. extras. e. stand-ins. c. cameos.

Q: Charlie Chaplin created his Tramp character a. by building it brick by brick. b. out of instinct. c. through meticulous preparation. d. starting with the costume. e. using Stanislavskys emotional recall technique.

Q: Director Sidney Lumet believed that great performances depended on a. the ability of actors to reveal themselves on-screen. b. actors understanding of the characters they are playing. c. an intuitive sense of the characters needs within the screenplay. d. sharpened skills of observation and strong instincts. e. a passion for synthesizing research with personal experience.

Q: Peter Lorres nonnaturalistic performance in the lead role of Hans Beckert in Fritz Langs M (1931) reflects the influence of a. Konstantin Stanislavsky. d. Laurence Olivier. b. Bertolt Brecht. e. Max Ophls. c. F. W. Murnau.

Q: In the 2016 Harris Poll of Americas favorite movie stars, who is the only actor in the top ten who made films starting in the 1920s? a. Clark Gable d. John Wayne b. Bette Davis e. Charlie Chaplin c. Cary Grant

Q: While both John Wayne and Jeff Bridges can be described as icons of Hollywood, what is one of the biggest differences between their careers? a. John Wayne worked within the security of the studio system, while Jeff Bridges jumps around within todays independent system of movie production. b. John Wayne averaged a movie per year in his forty-six-year career, while Jeff Bridges has made sixty-five films to date. c. John Wayne starred exclusively in Westerns, and Jeff Bridges has starred in a variety of genres. d. John Wayne never refused a part, and Jeff Bridges carefully selects roles that will enhance his off-screen image. e. John Wayne was one of the youngest to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, and Jeff Bridges is one of the oldest to win at age sixty.

Q: Moviegoers are most accepting of digital characters a. that resemble stars they are familiar with. b. that epitomize the uncanny valley. c. in films where reality is more important than fantasy. d. that do not represent recognizable human beings. e. when they provide comic relief alongside real actors.

Q: To play the identical Winklevoss twins in The Social Network (2010), David Fincher cast Armie Hammer and Josh Pence and then used ________ to ensure their facial similarity. a. makeup d. breathable masks b. synesthesia e. 3-D imaging c. digital grafting

Q: What is often the most important factor in determining a films financial success? a. casting d. the director b. the story e. the sound track c. special effects

Q: Actor Franklin Pangborn, while never a household name, became instantly recognizable because a. he made many appearances with Jack Russell terriers. b. he made hilarious cameos. c. he performed many dangerous stunts. d. he repeatedly played distinctive types as a character actor. e. his unusual eyes were always featured prominently.

Q: How has the transition from studio production to independent production affected actors careers? a. With the increase of major movies produced each year, actors have many more opportunities. b. With the decrease of major movies produced each year, actors have had to supplement their film work. c. With the increase of major movies produced each year, actors have less security but more freedom. d. With more comedies produced each year, even more quality roles are available. e. With the increase in musicals made, more actors are seeking voice and singing training.

Q: What is the biggest difference between the careers of Bette Davis, a major star during the studio era, and Nicole Kidman, a top star of today? a. Bette Davis performed in many different genres, while Nicole Kidman acts mostly in period films. b. Bette Davis worked with a broad range of directors, while Nicole Kidman works almost exclusively with Robert Benton. c. Bette Davis made much more money from advertising work than Nicole Kidman does. d. Bette Daviss earning power was much greater than Nicole Kidman since studios were under contract to share a large percentage of profits. e. Bette Davis fought for the roles she wanted to play, while Nicole Kidman takes advantage of her freedom to choose parts and has handpicked a broad range of characters.

Q: Unlike actors performing in the golden age of Hollywood, todays superstars a. may choose their roles and negotiate earnings. b. have the security of a seven-year option contract. c. enjoy a very close relationship to the editor. d. have little control over their image in advertising and publicity. e. must commit to work with only one studio.

Q: Todays actors earnings are most influenced by their a. talent. d. experience. b. training. e. connections. c. popularity with audiences.

Q: An actor's popularity is judged primarily by box office receipts and a. award nominations. d. social media followers. b. award wins. e. film reviews. c. popularity polls.

Q: Which of the following describes a typical contract arrangement between a studio and its stable of actors? a. A studio could choose to fire or rehire an actor under contract every six months. b. Studios locked actors into ten-year option contracts. c. A studio could never change an actors name. d. Studios had contracts that allowed actors to move to another studio if they did not like the roles being offered to them. e. Studios would allow actors to control their image and likeness in advertising and publicity.

Q: Who are Marion Morrison, Issur Danielovitch Demsky, and Archibald Leach? a. movie stars of the silent era b. the original names of movie stars from the studio system era c. the names of the three leads in the 1946 Best Picture winner, The Best Years of Our Lives d. the heads of MGM, Paramount, and Columbia in the studio system era e. the three individuals who devised the method style of acting

Q: Which of the following describes what a movie star is? a. zero flaws that endear them to ordinary people b. a lack of comfort in front of the camera c. the ability to make viewers know what they are thinking when a camera comes up close d. an introverted actor who lacks screen charisma yet is very well trained e. an actor who earns enormous sums of money but largely from nonfilm work

Q: What distinguished Cary Grant from other Hollywood actors during the studio era? a. He was the first actor to have his own production company. b. He signed only two-year contracts with studios. c. He was not under any studio contract. d. He was one of the few top actors to not work with Alfred Hitchcock. e. He won the most Academy Awards.

Q: How does Elizabeth Taylor epitomize what it means to be a movie star? a. She was a talented, glamorous Hollywood icon, yet had the power to keep her long marriage of fifty years private. b. She had a late start, but her careers meteoric rise kept her starring in hit after hit. c. She starred in Mankiewiczs Cleopatra (1963), one of the most lavish and expensive films, and made it a huge success. d. She had a long career, won three Oscars, and remained a star even after she stopped acting. e. She only starred in classics, and her sex appeal and beauty captivated the world.

Q: The Stanislavsky system of acting trained students to a. strive for surrealism. b. understand their characters background and psychology. c. avoid their unconscious. d. embrace a nonnaturalistic style. e. disconnect from emotion and intellectualize their roles.

Q: The method (or method acting) did not make a major impact on Hollywood until the 1950s because a. the studios were reliant on the star system and were not interested in the process of acting. b. the Moscow Art Theater would not share its secret approach to acting. c. the experimental Group Theater denounced its tenets. d. Stella Adler was developing a rival approach to acting. e. Hollywood was fearful of anything associated with the Soviet Union.

Q: Which of the following performances is an example of method acting? a. James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) b. Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story (1940) c. Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet (1944) d. Greta Garbo as Queen Christina in Queen Christina (1933) e. Bette Davis in All About Eve (1950)

Q: Which of the following best characterizes a naturalistic style performance? a. It appears excessive, exaggerated, or extreme. b. It is outside of the normal range of human experience. c. The acting is distancing and estranging. d. The behavior is believable and recognizable. e. Outlandish costumes, makeup, or hairstyles are common.

Q: When actors are repeatedly given particular kinds of roles based on their looks rather than their talent or experience, they are a. screen tested. d. stereotyped. b. pigeonholed. e. gambled on. c. typecast.

Q: Who was responsible for inventing the art of screen acting? a. Mary Pickford b. Sarah Bernhardt and Clment Maurice c. Lillian Gish, under D. W. Griffiths guidance d. the Art Film Society e. F. W. Murnau

Q: Why is Lillian Gishs portrayal of Lucy Burrows in Broken Blossoms (1919) generally acknowledged to be the first great film performance by an actor? a. Her voice training allowed her to fully inhabit the role. b. Her restraint of emotion was unprecedented. c. She perfectly illustrated expressive incoherence. d. She displayed a range of emotions not previously seen on screen. e. Her intellectualization of the role created a distance between her and the audience.

Q: Which of the following is not a characteristic of great screen acting? a. expressive coherence b. wholeness c. inherent thoughtfulness and emotionality d. disunity e. appropriateness

Q: How did Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly satirize the film industry in Singin in the Rain (1952)? a. It critiqued the growing production design budgets. b. It made fun of the dueling studios. c. It mocked how self-centered movie stars can be. d. It poked fun at the difficult transition from silent to sound production. e. It made fun of our reverence for auteurs.

Q: Which of the following posed no challenge for the transition from silent to sound production in films? a. stationary microphones d. actors voices and accents b. lighting equipment e. camera noise c. poor-quality recording